Dining Out Strategies - Restaurants don't have to be your downfall!

[Patti Linn]

Restaurants don’t have to be a dieter’s downfall; they can be a dieter’s dream – if you’re assertive with the wait staff and know how to order. Here are some tricks our Biggest Loser Sarasota Participants can use to avoid some of the common pitfalls of eating out.

Tips for Eating Out
Tell the server: Don’t even bring out the bread. That should be the first request out of your mouth at a restaurant.

Be a pain in ass in a restaurant. Ask them to use Pam, no butter. It’s okay. You’re paying them. You’re the customer. Change it up. Do what you need to do.

Order whatever is grilled – chicken, salmon, or fish. Or have filet mignon (it’s very lean) but make sure it’s no more than 4 ounces. If it is an 8 ounce filet when it comes to the table cut it in half and either box the other half or share your meal with a friend.

Ask for a side of steamed vegetables. If you don’t request steamed, they’ll put butter and oil and all sorts of stuff on them that will make the vegetables 500 calories or more. NO POTATOES – Steamed vegetables in PLACE of the potatoes.

Know the calorie counts of fast foods. Download calorie counts and nutrition information for your favorite fast food restaurant BEFORE you go so you can make an informed choice and the best choice.

Insist that your food be prepared without butter or oil.

If you are tempted to have dessert and you want just a bite…..order it eat your one bite and pour salt on the rest to avoid temptation.


Eat your hamburger without the bun. Or eat it protein style, wrapped up in lettuce. You’re not eating the carbs from the bun, and you’re saving calories. It’s actually very filling.


When eating out, always have a salad first. With dressing on the side – NO BREAD – send the bread BACK to the kitchen.

I like Mexican food, so when I go to a Mexican restaurant, I order the grilled fajitas with no oil, and I substitute a salad for rice or beans.


Trainer Tip:
A great appetizer to order at an Asian restaurant or a sushi bar is edamame, steamed soybeans. They’re delicious, and you can fix them at home too. Just pop them in the microwave for a few seconds, then sprinkle a little sea salt on them, and enjoy.

http://www.traineratyourdoor.com

[Lyn]

Thanks for this. I'm showing this to my husband so he won't feel like we are asking too much the next time we dine out. We've been asking for some of these things, and I told him it was ok. Seeing it in print will help reinforce it.

[Kayse Weamer]

Great Information! Thanks Patti!